Social-Emotional Learning: What Really Works
November 7, 2022
Social-emotional learning is at a critical moment in its evolution.
The damage the pandemic did to academic and social and emotional well-being is now crystal clear. Students’ math and reading skills have plummeted, erasing years of gains; and many students are struggling to learn how to regulate their emotions, feel empathy for others, and set reachable goals for themselves.
At the same time, some school district SEL programs have run up against intense opposition from parents and politicians, who take issue with how SEL development is being linked to learning about racism, sexism, and LGBTQ issues.
To properly address these challenges, schools will need to do a better job communicating to their communities what their SEL programs actually teach; designing social-emotional learning strategies that are tailored to the specific needs of their communities; and evaluating the effectiveness of those strategies.
This special report provides a roadmap for how to make that happen.
The damage the pandemic did to academic and social and emotional well-being is now crystal clear. Students’ math and reading skills have plummeted, erasing years of gains; and many students are struggling to learn how to regulate their emotions, feel empathy for others, and set reachable goals for themselves.
At the same time, some school district SEL programs have run up against intense opposition from parents and politicians, who take issue with how SEL development is being linked to learning about racism, sexism, and LGBTQ issues.
To properly address these challenges, schools will need to do a better job communicating to their communities what their SEL programs actually teach; designing social-emotional learning strategies that are tailored to the specific needs of their communities; and evaluating the effectiveness of those strategies.
This special report provides a roadmap for how to make that happen.
Student Well-Being From Our Research Center Why It's So Hard to Weave Social-Emotional Learning Into AcademicsIntegrating social-emotional learning into math, science, or even language arts can be a tough task these days.
Teaching Video Teachers, Try This: An SEL Lesson That Teaches Kindness and EmpathyAn elementary school teacher uses this SEL lesson to help students see what is special about themselves and their classmates.
Student Well-Being From Our Research Center Building an Effective SEL Program: Lessons From 3 DistrictsOne key recommendation is to show teachers and principals how to develop SEL skills that they can model for students.
Student Well-Being From Our Research Center Make SEL Work by Applying These 6 Best PracticesResearchers outline how school and district leaders can implement successful social-emotional-learning initiatives in schools.
Student Well-Being From Our Research Center How Educators View Social-Emotional Learning, in ChartsEducator support for social-emotional learning remains strong nationwide despite parental pushback in some places.
Student Well-Being What Educators Say Are the Biggest Barriers to Effective SELA poll of LinkedIn users revealed why there is so much confusion about the role of social-emotional learning in schools.
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